Midnight struck on 25 June and gamers across the UK and around the world rushed to secure their copy of GTA 6, the latest instalment in Rockstar's blockbuster franchise. Analysts believe the action adventure could become the most expensive game ever made, with estimates putting development costs at more than $1bn (£866m).
The game became available to pre-order after Rockstar revealed its pre-sales launch date and cover art in mid-June. GTA 6 is set for release on 19 November, a date that appears all but certain after the studio opened pre-orders – though it was delayed twice previously, from autumn 2025 and May 2026. In a statement announcing the second delay, Rockstar said it needed extra months to finish the game with the level of polish fans had come to "expect and deserve".
“GTA 6 pre-orders opened at midnight on 25 June, with analysts estimating it could be the most expensive game ever made.”
Players who pre-order will be able to begin pre-loading it on their consoles on 12 November to ensure they can play at launch. The game will be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, but there is no news on when a PC version will be released, and it is currently unknown whether it will come to Nintendo Switch 2.
GTA 6 will cost £69.99 in the UK and $79.99 in the US, with an ultimate edition featuring extra vehicles and weapons priced at £89.99 and $99.99 respectively. Physical copies of the game will contain a code for a digital download inside a box, rather than a disc.
The sixth game in the main series will feature its first ever playable female protagonist in a 3D setting – Lucia – alongside her partner in life and crime, Jason, as a second playable character. From the two gameplay trailers released so far, the story will follow the pair in a Bonnie and Clyde-esque adventure through the seedy underbelly of America after an "easy score goes wrong".
Set in the fictional US state of Leonida – Rockstar's version of Florida – the game will see the return of Vice City, inspired by Miami, as the main city. Rockstar has not yet confirmed whether an updated online mode will be released at launch, although given the success of GTA Online, it is likely to exist at some point. How any future age verification legislation in the UK around social media and particularly messaging in gaming could affect GTA Online, if at all, remains unknown.